Australia Informational Gold Mine

Today at 1 pm the Travel Channel had a fascinating show on traveling in Australia. They touched on many tourist type activities that I will try to summarize here. No way can one visit all these locations on one vacation. Sounds like we'll have to take several trips down under. (NOTE: I am not endorsing any commercial companies only using their websites for information.)

Sydney - the Opera House

Melbourne - Balloon ride with Balloon Sunrise owner/operator Chris Dewhurst. The show said that Sydney was started with convicts from Britian whereby Melbourne was started with freemen and the residents believe there is a different feel to the city. I know several knitters from Melbourne who are really cool ladies.

As an aside - I found this wonderful video about the Blue Mountains Australia. The continental great divide. It sure did make me anxious to get back to our own Appalachians.

Up north on the Adalaide River - a tour boat where you can watch them feed the crocks.
Nearby Katherine is the place for outdoor hiking and camping in the northern territory. While there you can make your own digeridoo with Douglas Daily with Kelly Wood trips.

Uluru Rock in Kata Tjuta National Park is just one site that you cannot leave out. This 100 million year old rock is treated as sacred by the Aboriginies. 90% of it is underground. Australian Adventure Travel provides a safari from Perth to the Park and back. Scroll down to the bottom of the site and find information on other locations.

Alice Springs is an isolated area with a dry river running right through the middle of town. They have gone as much as 3 years without any rain. Americans live there with the local Aussies. Every year they have a waterless regatta "Battle of the ships". It's a fun day with running to see who can win the Australian Cup.

Aside - The Small Guide to a Big Country offers event listings and maps for the different areas. This is a great find!

The Wave Rock in Western Australia looks just like the ocean surf frozen in time. While there, you can take a wildflower and/or wild life tour.

Monkey Mia dolphin esort is a days drive north of Perth on the Western coastline. Feed the dolphins while in the beautiful waters. There is only one accommodation there. It is highly recommended.

One of WA’s most extraordinary architectural sights is the 19th century monastic community of New Norcia, 130km northeast of Perth. Benediction Monks live and work there. The Monastery website provides information if you wish to live with them for a retreat. While there you will live their lifestyle which includes eating in complete silence.

Are you interested in where opals come from and the what it's like to be an opal miner? Then Coober Pedy is the place for you. Coober Pedy has some of the most unique attractions never to be found elsewhere in the world. And, they're not all underground! Although it can get up to 140 degrees during the daytime, underground it stays around 70. The tourist season there starts Easter weekend.

This will bring us up to our main destination which is Brisbane, Queensland. While there, cannot forget to see the Rainforest and the Cape Tribulation Fruit Orchard, Caines and of course . . .

the Great Barrier Reef (largest living thing and it's bigger than Kansas)
Australian government site
travel-online.com
Warning: watch out for the DEADLY Box Jellyfish, Tiger shark and Great White shark.

That's alot of information from one show. The web sites I got from Googling on the main words.